ASK THE DUST.

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At the voice Tanner glanced up from her phone and over her shoulder. There stood the too pretty and too disappointing Lola Mendoza. They'd all grown up together; the long haired brunette, Bear, and herself. All apart of the same class. Maybe they hadn't been all that close any of them yet Tanner still believed their should've been some community and solidarity. Somewhere along the way Lola had been lost to the temptations of the other side and she really struggled with that. A reluctant smile curved her lips, she really hated the ease in which Lola felt comfort in bringing up her family. "I haven't decided yet," she released in something of a sigh. "You? Shouldn't you be off enjoying the spoils at that fancy ass resort?" Some part of her had a hard time being too abrasive with Lola despite everything.

Paxton was everything that Zayden had left behind in his youth. It was a town where everyone knew everyone and there was always something to say. His jaw tightened, but he gave a nod to the direction and made quick work of tossing his keys onto the seat. Unlike the cities he'd occupied up until recently, he trusted that it was a safe move.

"Yeah, I'll be in there." Most assumed that Arizona was hot all year around and that wasn't the case. Especially this part of the state. Winter coming up soon would be dropping to cold and chilly temps, and currently the day was in the low 50's. Tanner couldn't bring herself to feel anything for the invaders of this town, such as this man. If she could she'd personally tell each and every one of them to fuck off.

Tanner looked a vision next to her Bronco with her hair free. Jasper leaned over the edge of the porch and looked in either direction. Outside of Tanner's Bronco only two more vehicles gathered on the gravel -- his own and one belonging to Abe. "Nope, not yet, or maybe they were but they went out to the fields early," he pushed away from the porch railing, shaking his head. "You're not in the way and my style's evolving day-by-day."

"I like that," Tanner commented pulling her attention away from her glance at Abe's vehicle and refocused on Jasper. "What's it evolved into today?" A little simper began to form on her lips. She'd always been a bit curious about him and she'd followed his music career some, even if it wasn't her typical listening genre, but he was someone that traveled about and came back to Paxton.

"One can only hope." She wasn't helpless, but when it came to changing a tire and knowing anything else about her car? At least she knew other things. Pointless things when stranded on the side of the road in a town she was still getting to know, but still things and that had to count for something.

Unable to hold it back, Tanner scoffed and her head shook when the leggy woman informed that she was a model. She should've known, she certainly looked the type with those gorgeous feline like features. Complete with the grace in her movements. Having just squatted down Tanner was at least able to keep the stranded woman from seeing her expressions, not that she really cared if she offended the woman that likely bathed in rose water. The jack was slid into place and she'd begun cranking it while the woman went on.

In his experience, no place was as simple as dropping off and picking up the same day. Then again, he was used to dealing with dealerships that had a long list of services to attend to. "I'm used to this kind of thing taking a day. I guess it's a bit different around here." He knew it was simple, and yet, he'd spent enough time getting his hands dirt and he no longer needed to budget. For convenience purposes, he'd shell out whatever she asked to assure it was done in a timely manner.

The garage was efficient. Tanner and her mechanics knew what they were doing, and even though Roadrunner was busy, repairs and services were completed in a steady turnaround. More challenging projects were often handled herself, an oil change, however, any mechanic worthy of that title should be able to get a full service done in twenty to thirty minutes. "You can pick you car up in an hour. Leave the keys inside," Tanner finally commented, arms uncrossed as she held back an eye roll and took a few steps away. She then turned back and added, "or you can wait. Not in the office. That little table outside? All yours if you want. Grab a snack and a soda from the machine if you're famished."

Changing a tire was another thing added to the list of things she'd never learned, but probably should have. In her defense, most of the traveling she did was always handled by another, her fortune and connections allowing her a long time role as passenger princess. It was her fault, really, for the lack of a driver. Paxton was a long shot from the chaos of big cities and she'd assured her trusty chauffeur that his services were no longer needed unless an impromptu trip to the city brought her back.

"If they come that far along then they can forgo the whole thing altogether," Tanner volleyed back. How many of these fancy dressed and polished people was she meant to rescue these days? The numbers just kept piling up. It was a bad sign. Not for her pocketbook or the shop's ledger, she was getting along fine before they all started showing up though. Watching the lithe blonde try to figure out how to open the trunk of her car Tanner to do her best to keep her expressions neutral.

Starter for @tannerpresley

As her booted feet landed on the dusty gravel Tanner loosely held onto the door of her vintage Bronco with one hand while the other pulled the sunglasses up from her eyes. Once carefully tucked into her curls she approached the familiar house with a slight smile at seeing Abe's younger brother on the front doorstep. They hadn't ever really talked much whenever she stopped by on business, she thought he seemed nice enough and liked that he was into art. Even if she had no ink herself Tanner was curious about it. "Hey, Jas," she replied back as though they were more familiar than they were. "Ah, that's okay," lips twitched and slightly curved upward at his assumption of whom she was there for, "are any of the guys around?" The ask had been to stop by to chat something over real quick. Something no one wanted relayed over any device in any way. "You sure? I don't mind waiting and hanging out but I wouldn't be cramping your style or getting in the way?"

"I think you might have already answered your own question." He rose a brow, not one to be outdone. But sitting on a barstool was mild for him. Usually, he was pushing his own limits. Maybe not with women but there was usually something chaotic he was getting himself into. Shaw would call it the calm before the storm perhaps. "Woah there now. You're awfully quick to jump the gun tonight. Bad day? I'm going to take the hint and say you had an shitty experience where you had to chase your version of a prince charming." If she could give it out, Shaw certainly could match the assumptions that were being handed out. He did somewhat smirk though. "You don't give me enough credit, shame on you. I was really just trying to say surely when most people come to a bar it's not to be heckled by someone trying to shoot their shot. I'm slightly more original then that even if you have your doubts. Anyone can say some cheesy pick up line that is just bound to fail." He shrugged. "Just means she has no backbone or is oblivious. Not something I personally could ever find attractive so ya it's a little pathetic." Saving a stranger wasn't at the top of his priorities. It just meant you could be easily manipulated and this world was way too cutthroat for that. "I'll cut you some slack, give your judgement a break." His smirk lingered. "But hey if you're asking my opinion on something, I think you should buy the next round. I mean, my feelings could be hurt by all the judgement you have passed."

"Hint?" A scoff escaped Tanner and she'd be damned if the slightest curve touched the corners of her mouth. To keep that smile from fully forming her beer was brought to her lips for the save and as she drank Tanner gave the comments a little room to breathe. "Sounds a hell of a lot more like you chasing your tail around for a massive assumption." Aside from her knowing her away around anything mechanical and her prowess in welding if Tanner Presley were to go down in history for anything it would be her unwillingness to ever play the chasing game. "There ain't no damn thing as a Prince Charming. I never was that girl that believed in fairytales. I'm a realist. You haven't caught onto that by now? I'm ashamed in your lack of knowing your company." The saddest thing of all to her was someone waiting around to be rescued. Life was about rolling up your sleeves and doing the work. Though, as Shaw went on a little tangent Tanner smiled just enough to showcase her amusement. "Usually bars are meant for drinking and socializing. There's centuries of history to back up the foundation of that. You didn't get that memo?" Another sip down. "Nah, you don't seem the pickup artist type. If a girl is desperate enough any pickup line would do but in that case it honestly has nothing to do with the guy." Since Tanner never drank the last couple of swallows of her drinks she pushed the bottle away. "If you wanted me to buy you a drink all you had to do was say so. Don't take it personal, Princess, I'm a judgmental son of a bitch in general." To her it was called having high standards, and she wouldn't welcome the thoughts that it was likely the standards were so high that there wasn't a soul that could breach those walls. "What're you drinkin' tonight, Skinner." There, she threw him a bone and called him by his name.

location: roadrunner repairs character: @tannerpresley

A nice car was a nice car. As a fan of anything automotive ( or with an engine / power unit ) even Tanner couldn't deny that despite this type parked outside of one of garage bays not being of her own taste. As preferences went she loved anything old school, or even diesel due to how fun those engines were to work on, and that often meant classics. Muscle cars and old trucks topped the list, though the number one spot was held by her own vintage '68 Bronco. That beauty was parked out front of her shop daily, proudly on display after she'd done a beautiful restoration of it.

location: random road in paxton character: @tannerpresley

Roadrunner Repairs wasn't exactly a tow and roadside assistance service, yet when the shop had received the call about a vehicle on the shoulder a few blocks away with a flat tire Tanner hopped into the shop truck and headed to the location. With a groan, of course. Flat tires were easy. She wouldn't burden one of her mechanics with such a rudimentary task and pull them away from the volume of work Roadrunner had. Instead Tanner took it upon herself. In the least it'd get her away from paperwork for a short while.